The Batty Engineer
by LadyRainbow
Summary: Revised and reposted. Fourth in the AU Switcheroo Series. How did Phlox end up with a Pyrithian bat in Engineering? Here's the story. Please R&R. PLETE W/CH 8.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, don't make money off 'em.**

**Notes: Rewrite and repost. How did Chief Engineer Phlox end up with a Pyrithian bat in Engineering? While this story focuses on Chief Engineer Phlox, there's still plenty going on w/the other characters in the background. **

**We see Commander A.G. Robinson here. In this universe, A.G. is Admiral Henry Archer's right-hand man in Engineering Research and Development, and a friend of Phlox, Trip and Jon. Canon never established what "A.G." means...we'll find that out in this story. It's not "Alexander the Great". LOL**

**Rating: T**

**Pairings: TnT and R/S**

**

* * *

**

**One**

**March 2, 2154**

**approximately 2 weeks after "Empathic Tendencies"**

"Chief! Chief! You gotta take a look at this!"

Commander Phlox hurried to Lieutenant Richard Kelby's side. Kelby's face was wreathed in smiles, a welcome change from his usual dour expression. "We've gotten the results of the tests on the new warp core injectors."

Phlox read the results and his smile grew as wide as Kelby's. "Very good, Richard! Warp 6.2!"

"I think we can manage it, if we modify the power consumption flow here, here and here." His voice rose in excitement. "We'd have to re-align some of the circuits, though—"

Lieutenant Michael Rostov looked over Phlox's shoulder and asked, "Richard, I think we've got some DY-523's in storage. If we link those with the new multi-phase capacitors and swap out some of the DY-449s, they should be able to regulate the power flow, so we don't have a burnout."

Phlox rubbed his chin with his hand as he contemplated the possibilities. "Then we'd have to worry about the discharge build-up. I would think Captain Sato wouldn't want us to blow a connection when the warp drive is engaged."

"Blow a fuse, you mean?" piped up Lieutenant Anna Hess. She'd squeezed her lithe frame between Rostov and Kelby. "Divert the extra discharge here, to structural integrity—"

"We'd need a way to convert that kinetic energy into something that won't blow the hull to pieces, Anna," Kelby objected.

"Mmm...perhaps the same kind of transformers that the Vulcans use on the shield generators?" Phlox thought aloud.

"Could work," Rostov said, "but we'd have to do some major modifications on the design...you think the Vulcan Space and Ship Operations Ministry would sue us for infringement?"

"What they don't know won't hurt them," Kelby quipped.

That touched off a storm of argument in Engineering. Unknown to the younger officers, Lieutenant Commander Trip Tucker leaned just inside the main hatch and watched the by-play among the engineers with a huge noticed Tucker seemed calmer and more in control after his ordeal on Betazed. It wasn't an obvious change, but Phlox saw it. Perhaps Lieutenant T'Pol had something to do with it. Yes, he should ask her.

"Ah, Lieutenant Commander Tucker! What can I do for you?"

"I'd hate to interrupt your staff meetin', Phlox—"

"Nonsense. You're welcome to join us, if you'd like. The more minds, the merrier!"

"I'd be hornin' in on your territory, an' if there's one thing I know engineers hate, it's someone steppin' in where they aren't wanted." Trip shrugged and ignored Kelby's cold glower. Even now, nearly six months in space, Kelby still had some kind of grudge against Tucker. Phlox didn't understand it. "Sides, thought I'd stop by briefly and ask ya a favor."

"Of course." Phlox nodded at his team. "I believe you have the beginnings of an idea, Mister Rostov. I have every confidence that you all can work out the particulars. I will be right back."

"No problem, Chief. We'll probably still be here when you get back," Rostov said cheerily.

Phlox gestured Trip into his office, which was tucked into a corner of Engineering, but was also scrupulously clean. In comparison, Trip's Armory office always looked like a disaster area. Phlox waved Trip into a chair. "Is this about the power ratios to the Armory?"

"Kinda, Phlox." Trip grinned and handed him a PADD. "Look at these schematics I just got from A.G. Robinson and tell me whatcha think."

Phlox gave it a skeptical look, which dissolved as he paged through the report. "Mmmm. Quite interesting, indeed, Lieutenant Commander Tucker. This could increase the efficiency of the phase cannons by twenty percent. I don't see Arthur's fingerprints on this, though...is this through Admiral Archer?"

Trip chuckled and shook his head and replied, "Nope. A.G.—well, Arthur Gage, as_ you_ keep insistin' on calling him—and Henry got this from a different source. The design's from the top weapons developer in Her Majesty's Royal Navy, Admiral Stuart Reed."

"Reed? As in a relative of Doctor Reed?"

"The Doc's dad, in fact. Malcolm's no slouch in the weapons R&D department, either, though it's somethin' he doesn't want spread all over the ship. Told me he learned a lot at his dad's knee, but his interests took a different turn."

"Ah." Phlox filed the information away for future reference. "I will honor the doctor's desire to keep this information confidential. But all this means that you need some extra power for testing the admiral's designs."

Trip nodded. "This'll mean some readjustments and realignments of the phase cannons and that'll take us at least a week, maybe a week and a half on the outside. So we're not gonna need to fightin' over power consumption ratios for a while yet. I thought I'd at least let you know, give you a heads up on what's goin' on, instead of springin' it on you."

Phlox sighed mentally. "I appreciate the prior notice, Lieutenant Commander. Unfortunately, I cannot predict what the ship's needs will be a week, or two weeks from now—"

"I'm aware of that. Just keep it in mind, okay? I really want to improve on what Spacedock stuck us with this time and with our mission, we need all the starship defenses we can get."

The Denobulan couldn't argue with Tucker's line of reasoning, but the engineer within him was reluctant to share any extra power with the Armory. Granted, it was an illogical reaction (a "knee-jerk reaction", as Tucker would call it), but Phlox knew it stemmed from his own ambitious projects to improve his department's performance. Tucker had the same thoughts for the Armory. It was a sign of a good department head, but—

It meant that he and Tucker would have to "agree to disagree" at times.

Finally, he nodded. "I will keep it in mind. I cannot deny you the opportunity to improve _Enterprise_'s defenses, but please remember that the warp engines and ship's systems require an enormous amount of energy, and I can give you what I can spare, but no more than that."

Trip didn't seem happy with that, but he said, "Couldn't ask for more than you can give, Phlox. Thanks."

"My pleasure, Lieutenant Commander. Oh—" Phlox raised a hand as if he just thought of something. "I read the reports of the Columbia's experience on the with the _Varra_. Interesting reading; it got me thinking."

"Oh?" Trip said, raising his eyebrow a la T'Pol. Hayes's crew had encountered an unmanned ship of unfamiliar design, and when Hayes and Major Nate Kemper had beamed aboard, it had immediately fled at high warp. Luckily, Commander Daniels managed to retrieve them before the ship self-destructed.

Phlox would have loved to have studied all its schematics, but unfortunately, he had to take what fate had given him. That included its defense mechanisms, which was Trip's department."Captain Hayes's physiological reaction on _Varra _when it was activated makes me believe that their defense systems may have some sort of electromagnetic basis."

"He said he felt rather queasy on _Varra_'s bridge when they boarded it. They didn't find any people, but when the defense mechanisms kicked in—"

"The device affected Captain Hayes and his Away Team's autonomic nervous systems, which could explain some of the practical problems that continued exposure could have a detrimental effect on the human—or Vulcan—physiology."

Trip nodded. "Have you told Doc Reed about this?"

"Indeed I have. He is working on the theory. If we could negate these effects while the new Vulcan defense systems are in effect---

"It could have tactical implications." A slow smile passed over Trip's face. "Good idea, Phlox. Hey, y'know, you almost sounded like a doctor yourself there for a moment."

Phlox chuckled. "I did, didn't I? Well, I'm content to let Doctor Reed attend to medical matters."

"'Kay. I'll let you get back to your meetin' before Rostov, Hess and Kelby takes half of Engineerin' apart." Trip grinned at the scenario, even as Phlox sighed again. "Appreciate you takin' the time to hear me out."

"You're welcome." After Trip left, Phlox sighed and rubbed his cranial ridge. _Ah, the trials of a starship engineer. They should rename our position as 'miracle worker'._

_

* * *

_

Phlox always looked forward to Wednesdays at 1530 hours. No matter how hectic his life, the Denobulan treasured his conversations with old friends. Now Phlox grinned at the man on his communications screen.

"How is construction on the new Warp 7 ships getting along, Arthur?"

Commander A.G. Robinson winced; Phlox was the only one who actually called him by his given name, Arthur Gage Robinson. After endless ribbing by colleagues, Phlox understood why he preferred to be called "A.G." Yet Denobulan custom discouraged nicknames, save for family, and Phlox followed it to the letter. Robinson seemed resigned to it.

"Construction's going faster than when we were building either _Enterprise _or _Columbia_. Seems that Starfleet Command's eager to get as many of 'em in service as soon as possible. On the one hand, Henry's thrilled at the positive response. On the other hand, it's kinda worrying."

Phlox nodded soberly. "When will _Intrepid _and _Atlantis_be in service?"

"Soon, maybe six months at the outside, and _Challenger_'s on the drawing board. " A.G.'s tone was casual, but Phlox couldn't shake a sense of foreboding at his friend's words.

"Very well, Arthur."

Robinson gave him a charming smile. "I want to hear every detail of your future warp injector trials, okay? 'Sides, you oughta get my subspace package in another day or two...I want to hear your thoughts about this crazy idea I have on the containment field."

"I'll look forward to it. Thank you."

"No problem, Phlox. Take care, all right? Talk to you next week. Same bat-time, same bat-place."

"Same bat-channel," Phlox echoed. He still puzzled over the strange ending ritual that Robinson insisted on having at the conclusion of their talks. Lieutenant Commander Archer—Henry's son—had said something about an ancient entertainment program that used it to remind its viewers.

_And what does this ritual have to do with bats? I should look this up in the entertainment database._ He chuckled as he regarded the blank screen, then he touched the comm. "Phlox to Lieutenant Rostov."

"Rostov here."

"Lieutenant, will you watch over Engineering for a short while? I need to consult with Captain Sato."

"No problem, Chief. Everything will still be in one piece when you get back."

"And Michael—"

"Sir?"

"Inform Lieutenant Commander Tucker that I may be able to divert a _little_ more power to the Armory for his next EM trial, if he asks nicely."

Rostov laughed and answered, "I'll tell him, Chief."

* * *

Phlox caught Captain Hoshi Sato on her way to lunch at the Captain's Mess. She asked him to accompany her; Phlox chose egg drop soup and dim sum to eat, while Hoshi selected broiled chicken and vegetables. She seemed surprised at his choice, until he explained that he'd gotten quite fond of Chinese food while in San Francisco. Hoshi chose to speak in Denobulan and Phlox didn't mind; it was nice to converse in his native language. Although Jon Archer was quickly grasping the particulars, he still needed assistance with the transitive verbs.

"_Faa-je sh'kyu da na'thede?_" Hoshi asked him. **How is your department doing?**

"Dae, dae," Phlox replied. "_Eba'nier se-an'ju evem _Warp-_Nju-je_." **Good, good. We believe we can do Warp 6.**

"Eh? Par kweesah essah. Veh-je?" **Really? I'm impressed.** **How (will you do it)?**

Phlox switched to English, for engineering terms were difficult to translate into Denobulan. In fact, the words for _radiation _and _intake _differed by two letters and were easily mistaken. Such mistakes could be undesirable. When he mentioned the transformers on the Vulcan shield generators, Hoshi nodded.

"Talk to T'Pol. She worked on several prototype Vulcan ring ships with similar shield generators. Her insight would be valuable."

He nodded. "Yes, I was planning on asking Lieutenant T'Pol when she goes off-shift." Then he told her about his conversation with Arthur Robinson.

She was silent for several minutes, then commented, "I knew they greenlighted _Intrepid _and _Atlantis_ long before our launch, but this still seems pretty quick."

"Indeed," Phlox said, after he chewed and swallowed his noodles with a thoughtful air.

She didn't say anything and Phlox suspected Hoshi knew more than she let on. "I don't know, Phlox, but as A.G. said, it won't hurt to keep our eyes and ears open."

The whistle of the intercom interrupted her and she pushed the button. "Sato."

"Sorry to interrupt your lunch, Captain," came the apologetic voice of Commander Travis Mayweather, "but we're getting a transmission from Pyrithia."

Hoshi wiped her mouth with her napkin. "I'm on my way." She turned to Phlox. "Don't rush through your lunch on my account, Phlox. Stay as long as you need."

"Thank you, Captain." He smiled at her as she left, and turned his attention back on his dim sum.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, don't make money off 'em.**

**Notes: Phlox finds himself with a strange companion...and is bewildered at why he ended up with it. (Not the bat, yet. LOL)**

**Rating: T**

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**Two**

Phlox was getting off-shift when Hoshi summoned him to the Situation Table at the back of the Bridge. Accompanying them were Travis, Doctor Malcolm Reed, Lieutenant Commander Jonathan Archer and Trip Tucker. Trip gave Phlox a wide smile and mouthed, "Thank you." Phlox only inclined his head in response.

Hoshi called the meeting to order. "We've received a cordial welcome from the Pyrithians. They invited us to the surface, but there are some things they want us to keep in mind while we're down there. Travis?"

The Science Officer nodded and brought up the results of his planetary scan. "The Pyrithians' planet is basically one huge wildlife preserve and they have strict rules. They don't tolerate any outside interference with their native animal life. No adopting pets, no catching fish for lunch, and no picking the wildflowers. Their ecology's pretty delicate and the slightest disruption has widespread consequences."

Hoshi nodded. "They have special areas set aside for breeding and conservation projects. Lately, their generators haven't been functioning up to their expectations. They're asking for a trained engineer's opinion, so Phlox, I'd like you to accompany the Away Team with some of your engineers."

"Of course, Captain," he replied.

"I want Jon, Malcolm and Trip along as well. Travis, Lieutenant Khartoumb's your Exobiology specialist, isn't he?"

"That's right, Sameer's one of the best," Travis answered with a smile.

"I want the two of you to arrange some scientific teams. Pyrithia has unique lifeforms that we've haven't seen before and their wildlife Rangers are willing to share information."

"Gladly, ma'am." Travis said with a grin. He looked ready to jump into the assignment with both feet first. Phlox matched the grin. _He reminds me of my second youngest son...always eager to push the boundaries of scientific knowledge...._

"Do you want Kov on this too?" Trip asked. "I think he would appreciate some distraction, especially after what happened on Betazed."

Hoshi nodded soberly. Kov had unexpectedly met an old friend from the Vulcan Medical Academy, who turned out to be part of a conspiracy. He had been forced to witness that friend's demise, and since then, kept mostly to himself. "Malcolm? Is he up to another Away Mission?"

"I agree with Mister Tucker. He would appreciate the distraction after what happened with Jossen. He needs to regain some self-confidence in his calling as a Healer, and his empathy would do well with the animal life, I think." Malcolm's expression was grave, but his eyes sparkled.

"All right. Phlox, Trip, Malcolm, Jon and Kov. Shuttle Bay one in ten minutes. Travis, you're in command. Dismissed."

The senior crew scattered to their assignments. Phlox sighed and headed back to Engineering. He'd much preferred the confines of his engine room to the wide open spaces of an unfamiliar planet, but perhaps some fresh air and sun would spur some new ideas from deep within his subconscious...

_Besides, this seems like a peaceful contact so far. What can go wrong?_

_

* * *

_

The first thing that Phlox smelled was the scent of wildflowers. Its heady perfume made his head swim and his eyes water. He reached up and wiped tears with his sleeve. When he could see again, he realized the Away Team stood in a clearing that was outlined in silver light.

"Oh, my," he murmured. A full moon hovered just over the treetops, shining gently on the babbling brook at his feet. The wind blew ripples in the water and flicked drops on Phlox's skin. Green and brown hills loomed in the distance, against a backdrop of majestic purple mountains. His nose twitched. Phlox pressed the bridge of it with two fingers to ease the sudden pressure.

"Are you all right?" came a soft voice behind his shoulder.

Phlox turned his head to see Doctor Reed. _How is he able to move so quietly? He is full of surprises indeed. _Aloud he said, "I can't seem to keep my eyes clear and my nose suddenly feels...odd. The wildflowers seem to be adversely affecting me, Doctor."

Malcolm ran his medical scanner over Phlox, then chuckled. "It seems that you are having an allergic reaction, Phlox."

"Allergic reaction? Denobulans don't have—"

"—allergic reactions," Malcolm chorused with him. He cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrows. "So your people claim, but apparently the local flora wishes to disprove it. Here, this should help." He pressed a hypospray against Phlox's arm and pressed the trigger. "This should last you eight hours. If you feel the symptoms returning, let me know and I'll give you a booster."

"Thank you, Doctor." Phlox smiled at him, as his eyes cleared and his nose stopped twitching. He looked around for the captain, then---

SSSSQQQQQUUUAWWWWWWWWKKKKKK!!!!!

"Get down!" Malcolm yelled. He completely disregarded Denobulan tradition by grabbing Phlox by the arm and yanking him down to the ground. A second inhuman screech echoed over their heads, the sound of a frustrated demon that had missed its prey.

"What the hell----?" Trip Tucker burst out and immediately tackled Hoshi out of the way. They rolled for cover behind some bushes, just as a large bird-like shape flew inches past their heads. Automatically, Trip's phase pistol went up, but Kov put a hand on his arm.

Phlox cautiously lifted his head and glanced around him. He saw a large avian circling above them, its magnificent wings spread across the sky. _That wingspan must be at least a meter from tip to tip, _Phlox thought, judging the distance with a trained eye. It beat its wings as if trying to gain altitude, but the movement was...awkward.

"It's been injured," Kov said suddenly. "A broken wing."

"A fall from that height will kill it," Phlox said grimly. "There must be some way for us to help it—" Then above them, was another cry that echoed over the clearing. The bird responded, circled once more, then angled down. It hesitated and pulled back up, like a shuttlepod aborting a landing.

"It can't land," Hoshi cried, "or it won't for some reason."

The sound of running feet caught Phlox's attention, and two women burst into the clearing. One of them wore a tunic of sturdy beige canvas, tucked into denim pants, which were tucked in turn into thick-heeled boots. Her skin was a few shades lighter than Travis Mayweather's, black hair in two thick cables over her shoulders and curled up under a wide-brimmed hat. She towered over both Trip and Jon Archer, which was a strange sight. Next to the Pyrithian was a much shorter being, about Captain Sato's height, with a fall of pure ice-white hair and shimmering blue eyes. She was also dressed in outdoor gear and her translucent skin gave her the appearance of an angel. This woman seemed to glow with an phosphorous light. Phlox thought she had some kind of otherworldly beauty; right now, that beauty was hard as diamond.

Both women glanced at the members of the Away Team, huddled under cover. The taller woman met Phlox's gaze, then he heard in his mind, _Yes, you can help us._

"What—?" he sputtered aloud, but he didn't have time to finish the question, for she had already crossed the distance between them with uncanny speed and was kneeling next to him. Her wide dark eyes had a commanding expression, like a charismatic general had over his troops.

"We need your help," she said in accented Standard English. "Can you help?"

"Tell me what you need me to do," he answered firmly.

She thrust a hawker's glove into his hands. "Put this on your right arm; make sure the straps fit snugly over your wrist and hand, then follow me."

The engineer nodded and did as she asked. The glove was surprisingly comfortable; he could make repairs on the warp core wearing this. He was still affixing the last strap when he took off running after her.

"Stand right there, hold your arm out and whatever you do, don't allow the bird to touch the ground. Do you understand?"

"Clearly," Phlox replied. His skin crawled at the prospect of actually holding the bird, but he firmly shoved the feeling aside. Obviously, these women knew what they were doing. They were worried about the animal's safety and welfare, but were channeling that terror into positive action. Phlox was impressed by their relative calm.

The woman nodded at her companion and gave an order in a foreign tongue. The white-haired girl nodded back and cupped her hands around her mouth. She took a deep breath and let out a cry that mimicked the bird's call. Again, the bird responded and spiraled downwards towards Phlox, talons outstretched at him. He was rooted to the spot; he couldn't move even if he wanted to. The hawk's golden-black gaze commanded his, pain and fear and horror poured into his mind, and his voice was stuck in his throat as the bird closed the gap between them, as precise as a torpedo...

_You...like-mind...no more afraid..._

And the bird landed on his arm, the impact causing him to stumble backwards. He remembered the woman's warning: _Don't allow the bird to touch the ground._ The hawk flapped its wings, trying to regain its balance, but only succeeded in tipping Phlox off his feet. Then he felt hands steadying him from behind and preventing him from falling flat on his back. The hawk croaked a miserable note and shuddered, hiding its head under its uninjured wing. The other one was bent at a strange angle. Phlox winced in sympathy.

"Thank you," said the white-haired woman as her friend slipped a hood over the hawk's head. It hissed as she tried to transfer it from Phlox's arm to the glove on her own arm. Her confused expression seemed more than just a little troubled. "It won't leave him Thala," she said to the dark-skinned woman.

"Imprint, Mylene?" Thala asked, her voice incredulous.

"It can't be; it's too old to imprint."

"We'll puzzle it out later. Right now, we have to get it to the Shelter." Thala suddenly remembered that they had an audience. She looked at Phlox. "Captain Sato?"

Phlox shook his head. "I am Commander Phlox. Captain Sato is the woman right behind you."

Thala half-turned to see Hoshi. "Forgive me, but your commander must accompany us to the Shelter. It seems the Moon Hawk refuses to leave him." At Hoshi's nod, she turned back to Phlox. "Are you a doctor or a veterinarian of some sort?"

"Ah, no. I am an engineer." Phlox found the question rather odd and glanced over at Malcolm, but the Englishman's mystified expression mirrored his own. Kov also looked confused at the apparent non sequitur.

Now Thala looked really concerned. She opened her mouth to say something, thought better of it, then closed her mouth. "Follow us, Commander Phlox, and you might want your doctors at your side."

Malcolm nodded and moved to Phlox's side as Kov took up the other. As they all followed Thala and Mylene into the trees, Phlox caught Hoshi's look of reassurance, but there was worry deep within her eyes. She knew about as much as Phlox of what was happening, but whatever it was affected her deeply.

_I was overly hasty when I wondered what could go wrong on this Away Mission, _he thought. The irony nearly made him smile.

* * *

Phlox sat on an examination table with the Moon Hawk still attached to the hawking glove on his wrist. Jon Archer stood next to him and made reassuring noises to it. Strangely enough, Jon was the only other person whom the hawk accepted. It shrieked at Hoshi, Kov, Malcolm and Trip and they all kept their distance.

"Have you had any pets, Commander Phlox?"

Phlox half-shrugged at Mylene's question as he replied, "I had a colony of Aegillian bloodworms in a terrarium once as a child and my second father's third wife kept a Thrillian hedgehog as a pet. That's the sum of it. Lieutenant Commander Archer has a pet on board our ship, a dog named Porthos."

"Dog?" Mylene sounded confused.

"A small quadruped," Thala explained. She smiled over at Jon. "One of our interns brought his Doberman from Earth. Is your dog as big?"

"No, Porthos is a beagle. He's a lot smaller than a Doberman," Jon replied with a chuckle, "but sometimes he acts like one."

"If you possess an animal, and interact with it on a daily basis, then that might explain why our animals seem to accept you, Lieutenant Commander," Thala said, "but Commander Phlox...I am at a loss at why the Moon Hawk refuses to leave you."

Phlox smiled. "I'm just gratified that you were able to fix its wing. It was in considerable pain."

Mylene nodded grimly as she put away the bone regenerator. "The nature of the injury is rather suspicious, Commander. I don't believe the Moon Hawk broke its wing in combat with one of its own kind."

Kov frowned at her words and asked, "Do you believe someone deliberately harmed it? Who would do such a thing?"

Mylene speared him with her unblinking blue eyes as she replied, "It seems that it had caught its wing in some sort of trap."

Hoshi scowled at the thought of someone harming one of the Pyrithian animals. "I thought interfering with the native wildlife is expressively forbidden."

"It is, which is why this is so disturbing." Thala stepped to Phlox's side and scratched the Moon Hawk under the chin. The bird seemed to recognize her touch and finally hopped onto Thala's gloved wrist and left Phlox's. "We have had poachers land in the area and attempt to steal our animals. Needless to say, we do not show much mercy when we catch them in the act."

Thala's tone of voice made Phlox shiver. As he looked into her dark eyes, he wholly believed her. "So one of these poachers has harmed the Moon Hawk."

"It appears that way." Thala examined a data cylinder attached to one of the Moon Hawk's leg. "This is a tracking device. We can trace where the Moon Hawk has been and investigate those places for evidence of poachers."

Mylene nodded at Hoshi. "Can you help us, Captain Sato?"

Hoshi glanced at Trip, who nodded. "We can run some planetary scans and detect any other ships from orbit. If they are there, we'll find them. Lieutenant Commander Trip Tucker is my Armory and security officer; he can lend you any assistance you need."

Mylene flashed Trip a smile and said, "Thank you, Lieutenant Commander. We appreciate the help."

"No problem. I owned dogs when I was a kid, so I'm as eager to find these guys as you are," Trip answered. Suddenly, his communicator went off. The Moon Hawk croaked a reply and flapped its wings, but Thala calmed it. "Sorry. I'll take it outside."

As Trip left the room, the lights dimmed and brightened again. Phlox gazed at the lights on the ceiling. "Your power problems?"

Thala nodded. "Yes, our generators have been malfunctioning. We were hoping that you and your engineers could look at them and find out what is happening."

"Certainly. My engineers and I can start right away." Phlox glanced at Hoshi, who nodded assent.

"Excellent. Mylene, can you show Commander Phlox our generator complex? If we can solve the power problems, we could activate our security defenses." Thala winced and added to Hoshi, "I really don't like doing that because it can limit the range of how far our animals can roam, but betters safe than sorry."

"I agree," Hoshi said softly. "We'll help you find out what's happening. Phlox, go ahead. We'll keep in touch."

Phlox hopped off the exam table and replied, "Yes, Captain." He followed Mylene out of the Shelter and into the main complex of the rehabilitation center. The whole compound was built around a garden pool, surrounded by smooth marble tile. Even from here, Phlox could see the schools of fish swimming placidly in the water, their eerie glow illuminated by the light of the moon. Sound of other animals rustling in their sleeping pens carried the soft breeze.

"So peaceful," he commented.

Mylene nodded and said, "Yes, I find the Complex to be quite relaxing. My father is a fisherman on the eastern coast; I grew up among the aquatic life. When this Complex was being built, I wished to help preserve our native life, so I applied here. Thala is a good woman, very dedicated to her cause."

"I can see that." Phlox flashed her a grin. "You've been doing this your whole life, then."

"Yes. This respect for our planet has been ingrained in every Pyrithian native." Her slight smile faded. "Though, there are others who do not have the same respect."

"Captain Sato will assist you in finding the poachers. She has a soft heart for wildlife as well."

Mylene sighed and gestured to another building, made of native stone like the others in the Complex. "Here is our generator building. It provides power to the Complex and two other centers."

Phlox stepped into the room and immediately was taken aback at the sheer _size_ of the generators. The six cylinders took up most of the room, all humming with contained power. He didn't recognize the design, but it definitely wasn't anything he'd seen on any Starfleet installation, or Vulcan or Denobulan. He took out his scanner and carefully walked around each generator.

"There is a definite drop in output in generators two, three and six," he commented, "but it appears the generators themselves are not malfunctioning, but the problem lies within the conduits branching out to the Complex. It will take some time to locate and repair, but we _do _have a place to start. With your permission?"

Mylene breathed a sigh of relief. "Of course, send for all the help and equipment you need, Commander. If I could be any assistance, please let me know."

He sketched her an elaborate bow. "Thank you, madam." He flipped open his communicator and asked to be connected to Engineering.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, don't make money off 'em.**

**Notes: Phlox and T'Pol discuss Lieutenant Commander Trip Tucker, and Phlox suspects there may be more to TnT than meets the eye. In some ways, he's very much like his medical counterpart in the "Real Universe".**

**And he'll discover the bat in the next few chapters...and be completely thrown when that animal won't leave him, either.**

**If Phlox doesn't do nicknames, what does he call Trip, if it isn't "Lieutenant Commander?" You find that out in this chapter.**

**Rating: T**

**Pairings: TnT implied.**

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**Three**

They worked throughout the night, isolating the problems and repairing them one by one. Lieutenant T'Pol flew Shuttlepod One and ferried parts to the surface. As the morning sun peeked over the mountain ridge, T'Pol approached Phlox as the rest of the Engineering team settled in for a few hours' rest.

"Ah, Lieutenant. Can you be so kind as to hold this wire here while I solder its twin to the new circuit board?"

"Certainly, Commander." T'Pol knelt at Phlox's side and did as he asked. They worked in companionable silence, then she spoke.

"Lieutenant Rostov asked me about the step transformers on the Vulcan shield generators. He said that it might be helpful in maintaining our speed past Warp 6."

"I believe he was concerned about 'infringement'," he confessed, "so I told him to consult with you first, since you are familiar with the design."

"That was thoughtful of both of you. I have been thinking on the theory and I believe it is sound. Lieutenant Commander Tucker thinks he can apply the same principle to the power consumption problems in the Armory."

Phlox decided to take the opening she'd inadvertently given him. "I assume Lieutenant Commander Tucker has his own ideas on the subject?"

"Indeed." T'Pol raised her eyebrow and a shadow of a smile passed over her face. "He is quite resourceful in his own right. Many tend to underestimate him; some think he cares little more for anything but his weapons."

Phlox chuckled. "A compliment?"

"A statement of fact. When we were on Betazed, I would venture to say that he surprised some people with his interpersonal skills."

"Ah, yes, I noticed that. Just yesterday, he came by to talk about some possible upgrades to the Armory, to 'give me fair warning', though he assured me that we wouldn't need to worry about the ratios for another two weeks. That was considerate of him, not to 'spring it on me', as he put it."

She inclined his head. "Yes, quite considerate. I believe he may be learning some Vulcan restraint from Soval and the others."

"Tucker is quite adaptable, I've noticed, and that is one of his strengths. Granted, he is more emotional than any Vulcan, but he does employ logic at times, as incomprehensible as it may sound at the time."

If T'Pol were Human, she might have laughed. Instead, Phlox saw a genuine twinkle in her eye. "His...quirks...take some 'gettin' used to', as he would say."

Phlox hid a grin as the quote. _Am I seeing the beginnings of an extraordinary friendship? Will it turn into something more substantial? This would be worth watching...without T'Pol's and Tucker's knowledge, of course. _The quickest way to end it would be to point it out to the ones involved. He decided to change the subject slightly. "Speaking of 'gettin' used to' things...how is Kov doing? I know he was shaken by his experience on Betazed."

She didn't quite sigh, but Phlox heard the quiet sadness in his tone. "Kov is young, and he had been sheltered for most of his life. He is idealistic and inexperienced, but I am concerned for him now, Commander."

"It sounds as if he's lost that idealism, T'Pol. He is not as enthusiastic as he was when he came aboard."

T'Pol was silent for a long moment, then admitted, "No, he isn't. Kov is more cautious, more selective about whom he chooses to call 'friend', after Jossen's betrayal. I have addressed this concern with him on his arrival, and before Betazed, I would have approved of his new choice." She didn't look at Phlox, but she added, "Given the circumstances, I fear that such a change of his behavior may have come at too high a price."

Phlox said nothing, but considered her words. This was the most she had talked about her fellow Vulcan; she and Kov had fundamental differences in philosophy and attitude. Phlox hadn't been present at Jossen's demise---he was in command of _Enterprise _at the time---but he'd heard the official report and the unofficial account by Lieutenant Commander Tucker. The whole experience had affected the young Vulcan doctor deeply. Very deeply. Phlox sighed; the healing would take time, and he resolved to assist Kov any way he could. Until then, Kov needed to find his own equilibrium back.

Phlox finished the soldering, then said, "You can move your hand now, Lieutenant—"

And the lights went out. Phlox let out a muttered Denobulan curse, just as his communicator chirped. "Tucker to Phlox."

"Go ahead, Lieutenant Commander."

"Looks like one of the junctions to the other Shelter blew, Phlox. The connection is AGJ-3412."

The glow of a scanner drew Phlox's attention; T'Pol was already consulting a schematic of the Complex's layout. She nodded, then said, "That particular pathway leads through the underground tunnels marked 3412 to 3426."

"Very well, Lieutenant Commander, I'll scramble an Engineering team and we will attend to the problem. Phlox, out." He switched frequencies. "Phlox to Rostov. One of the underground junctions is malfunctioning; we will need searchlights, oxygen masks, and two portable generators."

"I'm on it, Commander. Rostov, out."

Phlox put his communicator back on his belt. "May I accompany you?" he heard T'Pol ask.

"Of course, Lieutenant. It will be helpful to have another pair of hands." He nodded at the doors. "It should be a relatively simple fix."

Of course, nothing was as simple as it seemed.

* * *

"Swamps. I hate swamps. Rates up there with deserts and snowdrifts."

Phlox glanced over his shoulder as he lifted his booted foot out of the moist bog with a loud slurp. "I thought you grew up around swampland, Charles."

Trip scowled, but Phlox couldn't tell whether it was because of the swampland comment or the "Charles". "Not all of Florida is swampland, Phlox, and not all Floridians like it. It's got mosquitoes the size of your hand and gators the size of small hovercars. Humid and sticky and wet and yucky."

"Ah." Phlox managed to keep his balance as he stepped lightly onto drier ground. He reached out and supported Trip, then did the same for Rostov, Hess, Kov, and T'Pol. The Vulcan looked as uncomfortable as Phlox felt; the heat was definitely different from the dry heat of the Vulcan sands, and sweat trickled down her aristocratic features. Kov appeared even more ill at-ease.

"Here," Rostov said, and gave Kov a wet towel for his face, then did the same for Hess and T'Pol.

Kov nodded and grunted, "My gratitude, Michael. I believed Beta Polaris was difficult, but this is even worse."

"We're in the tropical latitudes," said Lieutenant Sameer Khartoumb, Travis's Exobiology expert, "so it's hot, humid, and sticky."

"Bloody hell," muttered Malcolm as Mylene helped him across. He wiped a handkerchief across his brow. "Sameer, how can you stand this?"

Kkartoumb chuckled and shrugged lightly. "I spent a year on Higamasu Three, Doctor. If you can survive that, you can survive this or the Everglades." He swept his scanner around the area. "This area's crawling with all sorts of new life. Doesn't look like anything's poisonous, though, but we ought to be careful."

"Indeed," said Thala. She pointed at a network of cave entrances cut into the nearby rock. "Over there. I believe your engineering team from your ship is already there."

They trudged through the mud until they saw Lieutenant Kelby and his team at one of the entrances. Kelby crouched on his knees as he connected a cable to one of the portable generators. Like the rest of the landing party, Kelby wore a pair of rubber waders over his regular uniform, chest-high and glowing in the lamp light. His knee-high boots were caked with dirt and his sleeves were rolled to his elbows. It was strange seeing the normally immaculate-looking Kelby with his hair stuck up in irregular spikes.

"Almost there, Chief!" Kelby called. "Just have to double-check the connections, then we can hook up the replacement equipment to the power junction."

Phlox came over to his side and nodded in approval. "Good work, Richard. Anna, you and Michael come with me. We must restore power to the other Shelters. Lieutenant T'Pol, Lieutenant Commander Tucker, Mistress Thala?"

"Right with you, Phlox," reassured Trip. He reached up and switched on his helmet light and the others did the same. Thala and Trip led the line of engineers, with Phlox and Malcolm close behind. Mylene stayed with Sameer and Kov to help them catalog the swamp life, while Kelby and his team continued to fuss over the generator.

"Good thing the Cap'n's not here," Trip commented. "This would give her the creeps."

"She did well underground at Beta Polaris," T'Pol pointed out.

"Yeah, but she still doesn't like enclosed spaces very much." He shone his torch along the walls and whistled at the intricate formations at every step. "Wow. How far up do these things go?"

Thala's answer echoed on the walls. "They could extend up for hundreds of meters, depending on the size of the cavern. The network in here is quite extensive, Lieutenant Commander. Do not be alarmed at the rustling sounds; the natives here are not venomous or dangerous. Doctor Reed, some of the lichen growing along the rocks have medicinal properties."

"Hmm...this crop could be used as an anti-bacterial agent, and this seems to have cooling properties..."

Phlox chuckled to himself. Once Reed was intrigued by something, it was doubly hard to shake his concentration. He and the doctor shared plenty in common, including curiosity. Again, a restless stirring came from high above him, but he kept moving. His scanner glowed with a soft blue light as he followed the curve of the tunnel. Then he came to a four-way intersection.

T'Pol anticipated his question. "We must go left, then straight ahead another fifteen meters, Commander. We should encounter another cavern entrance, which we must enter."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Phlox replied and followed her directions. To his right, he saw a set of power conduit cables embedded deep within the rock. Normally, they would be shining with harnessed power, but now they were silent, except for a sharp crackle at the power junctions.

The second cavern entrance was much larger than the one above ground. Phlox didn't have to duck his head to enter it. He stepped into a pool of water that sloshed around his ankles; he tried not to wince as he negotiated his way farther into the cavern. The ceiling had risen out of view, while the floor became slicker with something worse than Denobulan iceskin.

For every action, there was an equal and opposite reaction. Phlox knew that Law of Thermodynamics by heart, as well as the one that stated, "Objects in motion tend to stay in motion." He heard a soft curse, then a hard thud, then something hard collided with the back of his legs, bowling him over like a set of tenpins. There was nothing to hold on to, nothing to stop his forward momentum.

Phlox careened across the floor of the cavern, cursing up a blue streak in his native language, which was punctuated by another voice in frustrated...Vulcan?

Phlox saw a stalactite rising out of the floor and hooked his arm around it. His other hand grabbed the shoulder strap of a set of rubber suspenders. The strap stretched, then snapped back hard, and Phlox's unfortunate companion flew backwards into him. Phlox knew who it was immediately when the swearing switched to English...with a Southern accent.

"Charles?"

"Ouch. I think I did something to my shoulder," Trip said. "This floor's slicker than vacuum lube. You okay, Phlox?"

"I am unharmed." He managed to sit up, one hand still on the rock formation, the other on Trip. "I lost my scanner in the fall. We must have slid deeper underground."

"Yeah. I think you can let go, Phlox; I got myself anchored to another rock."

Cautiously, Phlox did so. He tapped his helmet, but the warm glow of the light threw irregular shadows on the opposite wall. "My light is malfunctioning."

"I got a glowstick, Phlox. Here." Trip snapped it, then handed it to Phlox, who slowly moved it around. They were in a different cavern, about fifty meters from the edge of a cliff. If Phlox hadn't caught that stalactite, he and Trip would have flown off into open space to an uncertain fate below.

Trip shared the realization. "Whoa. Looks like you stopped us in time, Phlox, Thanks. I owe you one."

"Not a problem, Charles." He frowned and glanced over his shoulder. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Trip fell silent, and the muffled voices echoed from behind them. "That isn't Thala and the others."

"It's coming from one of the caverns we slid past. Someone else is down here."

"Do you think we can haul ourselves up and check it out?"

"If we are cautious. If only we had some kind of climbing equipment!"

"Remind me next time to bring Travis down here. This is his kind of thing." Trip shifted his weight and said, "Okay, you've got the glowstick and the better hearing, Phlox, so you lead. I'm right behind you."

"Very well." Slowly, Phlox managed to get himself back to his feet, reversed his orientation and inch his way back up the cavern, firmly making his way from stalactite to stalactite. He heard Trip doing the same close behind him. _I suppose this will definitely improve our muscle tone and endurance...Doctor Reed would approve of such exercise. _But Phlox was an engineer, not a sportsman, and the effort made him more tired than he expected.

He hoped they would both make it out before their strength ran out.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, don't make money off 'em.**

**Notes: Phlox and Trip make a couple of discoveries in the caverns of Pyrithia...and the bat's only one of them. **

**Rating: T**

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**Four**

The voices echoed as Phlox and Trip came closer. There was the scrape of metal upon rock, then the crackle of dirt being sifted through a sieve. Someone was excavating a mineral out of the cavern? A treasure hunter, perhaps? Phlox had heard stories of such people when he was in San Francisco; most of them were unscrupulous, greedy for riches in any form.

He stepped into the side passage and onto more stable ground. As he and Trip rounded the bend, a blue glow shone from the end of the hall. They both took cover behind some rocks, then peered over the edge. Men and women were scanning the walls, taking samples, sifting through the refuse. One of them shouted something and held what looked like some sort of crystal over his head. The stone was a dull crimson, with sharp jagged ridges. Then others took up the cry as they discovered more of the stones.

The commotion shook the walls. Suddenly, a soft thrum began under the raucous yelling, and it quickly became louder and louder. It took Phlox a moment to identify the sound: the beating of tens, perhaps hundreds of wings, punctuated with shrill shrieks. It became a roar, like the thunder of the incoming tide. The jubilation stopped abruptly as realization crossed the diggers' faces; they scooped up as many of the crystals they could hold and fled towards Phlox and Trip.

The tsunami grew in size: a black wave of glowing eyes and sharp teeth pouring from the ceiling and careening off the walls. Phlox's eyes widened in surprise and fear as he realized the nature of their attackers.

"Bats!" he exclaimed. "They are bats!"

The wave quickly overwhelmed two of the diggers; they screamed as they were knocked down by the sheer force of the bats, their arms covering their heads to protect their eyes from the wicked fangs and claws. The crystals fell on the hard surface of the cavern and bounced away, but those were the least of their problems.

"Down!" Trip yelled. "We can't outrun 'em!"

Phlox saw the logic in the suggestion: the bats would quickly catch up to them and attack, but if they remained where they were, the chances of their survival were much better. So he made himself as small as he could and covered his ears. The high-pitched wails threatened to burst his eardrums and he could feel tiny claws skim his hair, but the bats left him mostly unharmed.

And just as quickly as they came, they disappeared. Phlox was frozen to the spot, afraid to look up, afraid to see the aftermath. After a full minute of silence, he uncurled himself from his ball. A few meters away, Trip Tucker did the same. Trip looked to be in one piece, even if he looked stunned.

"I'm all right," Trip said. "You?"

Phlox nodded, then a scraping sound caught his attention. He looked over his rock and saw the remains of the two unfortunate rock hounds. The sight made him queasy and he focused on the bat directly in front of him. The bat poked at one of the crystals and turned it over. Then it looked up at Phlox and made a mewling noise.

"It's a baby bat," Trip whispered. "Looks like it got lost in the chaos, Phlox."

But the engineer wasn't listening. He walked around the rock and knelt in front of the bat. Their gazes met, then Phlox asked, "May I see your treasure, Little One? It seems strange to both of us, no?"

The bat squeaked, then hopped back a step to give Phlox access. He touched the crystal with a gloved hand, then picked it up. It caught the lights of the glowstick and sparkled with ruby-orange highlights. Phlox had never seen the like, but his instincts told him this was something valuable.

The little bat chirped something else, then Phlox nodded. "You've lost your kin, hmmm? We must find them and reunite you all." He extended a finger of his free hand and the little bat hopped on. It wavered a little as it gained its balance, but its claws barely punctured the fabric of Phlox's glove. "Lieutenant Commander?"

Trip was crouched next to one of the bodies, and he rose with a grim expression. "We've gotta get topside and talk to Captain Sato. I think we've got a big problem here."

* * *

Phlox learned to take his cues from the baby bat as they made their way through the caverns. Its squeaks bounced off the walls and reflected back to them. The bat indicated their path with frantic gestures of its wings. After several moments, Phlox recognized the cables strung overhead as the power lines leading to the main junctions. Trip was uncharacteristically silent; he seemed to be listening closely to their surroundings. Phlox noticed how he inclined his head in the correct direction a split second before the bat.

"Does this look familiar to you?" Phlox asked him.

"It's starting to," Trip replied, but he still seemed distracted. "T'Pol says—" He broke off, embarrassed.

Phlox raised an eyebrow. Were the two in some sort of communication with each other? It explained the armory officer's strange behavior. Could Tucker trace T'Pol's presence like he would a homing beacon, rather like the bat? _Extraordinary, _Phlox thought. _I do wonder what passed between them on Beta Polaris, then on Betazed. I will ask later, when we have more time._

"What does she say?" Phlox encouraged.

"You'll think I'm nuts, Phlox."

"Nonsense. It is apparent she is able to contact you in some way, and I am appreciative of any help she can give us."

The glowstick highlighted Tucker's blush, but his tone was steady. "She says we're getting close to 'em. They're heading towards us; we should be within hearing range right about now—"

"Commander Phlox? Lieutenant Commander Tucker?" Indeed, T'Pol's voice sounded quite close. "Can you hear me?"

"Right here, T'Pol." Trip stepped into the cone of light made by her lantern. "Am I glad to see you."

"We were quite concerned with your sudden disappearance," T'Pol said. Her voice was as cool as ever, but Phlox now heard a glimmer of relief within it. "I am gratified to see you both safe."

Malcolm Reed spoke up. "You're holding your arm at an awkward angle, Lieutenant Commander. Did you injure it?"

"I think I wrenched my shoulder, Doc. Mind taking a look at it? It's beginning to hurt like all get out."

As Malcolm examined Trip's injury, T'Pol took a step towards them, concern in her deep amber-brown eyes. Phlox decided to distract her. "Lieutenant, I would like your opinion on a serious matter."

"On what matter?"

Phlox explained what he and Trip had seen within the caverns, and her expression because grave. "May I see this crystal that the criminals seem to covet?"

Phlox nodded and reached for the drawstring pouch attached to his belt. Trip had "borrowed" it from one of the rockhounds, since the dead man would no longer have use for it. Carefully, he opened it and withdrew the jagged crystal from it. The bat flapped its wings and chittered something in an excited tone. T'Pol raised an eyebrow at it.

"It appears you have acquired a companion, Commander."

"He lost his family in the chaos, Lieutenant. I believe he will be happy to find them again."

She examined the stone carefully, turning it over and over in her gloved hands. "I have never seen the like before. Perhaps Commander Mayweather has; we should take this sample to him."

"My thoughts exactly, Ensign." He accepted the stone and put it back into the pouch. The hiss of a hypospray interrupted what else he was going to say. Phlox watched as Trip slowly moved his arm and rotated his shoulder, then breathe a sigh of relief. "Charles?"

"Thanks, Doc," Trip said, then turned to Phlox. "Just strained a few muscles, nothing overly serious. Did you show T'Pol what we found?"

The Vulcan nodded. "I suggest we take it to Commander Mayweather and his science team on _Enterprise_. He might be able to tell us why it seems so valuable."

"Sounds like a plan," Trip agreed, deliberately ignoring Malcolm's smirk. "We oughta catch up with the others...they're probably worried sick about us."

"Indeed," Malcolm said. Phlox wasn't sure how to interpret the doctor's tone, but he met Reed's look of bemusement. Malcolm raised an eyebrow and Phlox mouthed, _I will tell you later. _Obviously, the doctor had also detected some kind of connection between Tucker and T'Pol.

Malcolm only nodded in response and made no comment as they retreated through the caverns. The bat flapped its wings, but was silent as well.

* * *

To Phlox's delight, he found that Rostov and Hess had already done most of the repair work on the power junction. He was content to allow them to finish, with minimal interference on his part. Both engineers had proven to be invaluable so far during _Enterprise_'s mission. Phlox counted himself lucky to have them on board; both Rostov and Hess would make excellent chief engineers elsewhere in the future.

Thala and Mylene examined the baby bat, and allowed Kov to scan it as they did so. Unlike the Moon Hawk, the baby bat didn't seem to mind Kov; Thala answered all of his curious questions. "Doctor Kov, I understand you are a Healer?"

"I am indeed," Kov murmured as he stroked the bat on its forehead. The bat seemed to need as much comfort as he did.

"Then you must rate highly in empathy. Sameer---Lieutenant Khartoumb---told me how the wildlife seemed attracted to your cataloging efforts while we were underground."

Kov blushed a little. "People have warned me about how my empathy could lead me into difficulty. I have the danger of sympathizing with those who do not need it."

Thala raised her eyebrow, and Phlox turned his head slightly at the odd note in Kov's voice. He wasn't the only one; Malcolm and T'Pol paused in their own conversation. Thala seemed to sense the tension in the air and made her tone as gentle as she could. "There are always those who need it, Healer Kov. We risk ourselves every time we assist an creature who may not---or do not---appreciate our efforts, but we must try. We can not afford to turn our back on our true friends, whether they be Humanoid, or have wings."

Kov glanced sideways at her with a thoughtful expression. Phlox saw the weary expression in his eyes, but he only nodded and replied, "I will think about what you have said, Mistress Thala."

"Please do." Thala said with a small smile. "It would be a tragedy to lose such a talented Healer as yourself."

Phlox sighed mentally, then turned his attention to the other group. Trip updated Captain Sato and Lieutenant Commander Archer on the impromptu journey through the caverns. Phlox watched as Hoshi's expression became grimmer and Jonathan's more disturbed.

"We found odd readings on the planetary scans from Travis," Hoshi said. "Some sort of radiation that's interfering with the readings. Nothing lethal, but enough to be noticed. Travis detected a small group of transports hiding in the residual backwash."

"Our unwelcome friends," Phlox commented.

"Indeed." Hoshi's eyes gleamed coldly in the dim light. "They tried to get away when they realized we'd seen them, but Lieutenant Trace aimed some well-timed warning shot across their bows and they gave up without a fight. Turns out they were 'prospectors' working for an Andorian mining consortium."

"Which one?" Trip asked.

"Something called Lhirana." Phlox saw Tucker's face darken like a thundercloud, and so did Hoshi's. "Captain Sound familiar?"

"It's one of General Phaelan's holdings."

"Phaelan?" Trip repeated. "Wasn't he the one that tried to get Captain Hayes thrown off Andoria during _Columbia'_s first mission, while we were on Beta Polaris?"

Hoshi nodded. "Apparently, Phaelan's got a diverse portfolio, Trip, in many things, but if it isn't Phaelan, it's someone who works for him. I'm not going to accuse people without proof."

"Which is prudent," T'Pol added smoothly. "We do not have enough evidence to support an accusation at the moment."

Trip shot her a grateful look. "Thanks, T'Pol. I'm glad we've got the voice of logic on our side."

"Merely pointing out the obvious," she said, with a raised eyebrow. "Captain, I suggest we—"

Phlox felt Mylene's small hand on his arm. "Commander? May I speak with you? We have a complication?"

"The bat? Is he all right?" Phlox asked. He noticed the creature sitting on Kov's shoulder, quite calm, but he swore he saw a forlorn look on its face. As the Denobulan came closer, the bat emitted a small shriek and launched itself from the Healer's shoulder, circled the ceiling once, then gracefully landed on Phlox's shoulder. Its claws didn't pierce Phlox's skin at all; to his amazement, the bat began a low trill in its throat, as if it was purring.

"That confirms it," Thala said, with equal parts of consternation and amusement in her voice. "He's imprinted on you, Commander. It considers you his caregiver now."

"But—but—" Phlox spluttered, "I cannot take this bat with me. He belongs here, where he can fly free with his brethren. I work in an enclosed room, with minimal sun and fresh air. Being trapped could kill it and I refuse to condemn him to death!"

Mylene sighed and squeezed his arm. "You'll find that Pyrithian bats are quite adaptable, Commander. If we separate the two of you, this little one will die. It will pine for you when you leave and we will not be able to do anything for it."

Phlox glanced sideways at Kov, who only added, "Mistress Mylene is correct, Commander Phlox. He has grown attached to you."

"It's against your laws—"

"Then again, this has never happened," Thala pointed out. "None of our animals have imprinted on a guest. The rules must be flexible and in life—" she smiled, "—there are almost always exceptions."

Phlox sighed, looked at the bat, then turned to Captain Sato with an expression of appeal. "Captain—?"

Hoshi came over and scratched the bat under its jaw, and the purring became louder. "Well, I think we can accommodate another pet, Phlox. Jon's already got Porthos, so it's not a problem."

Malcolm rolled his eyes and huffed, "I'm not a veterinarian, but I suppose another 'pet' wouldn't hurt."

"Knew you were a softie deep inside, Doc," Trip muttered, earning himself a glare from the Englishman.

Phlox took a deep breath. "I will need instruction on how to care for him."

"We can provide that," Thala told him. "That will not be a problem—"

And the overhead lights came on. "Got it, chief!" Anna Hess called in triumph. "Positive flow to Shelters Thirty Five through Fifty Five!"

"Excellent job, Anna and Michael," Phlox said with pride. His communicator went off and Kelby's voice echoed, "That's got it, Commander. We'll have to run the emergency generator for another fifteen minutes, then we can turn it off."

"Good, Richard. We will join you momentarily. Please extend my congratulations to the rest of the engineering team. Phlox, out." Just as Phlox signed off, Hoshi's communicator went off.

"Sato."

Travis Mayweather's report was short and to the point. "Captain, we've got contacts coming into the system. Their configuration matches the transports we apprehended before, but their lead ship isn't anything I've seen."

"We're coming up, Travis," Hoshi said. "Stand by; we're heading out of the underground caverns. Sato, out." She flipped her communicator closed and looked at Thala. "I'm sorry, but—"

Thala only nodded in agreement. "We understand, Captain. We'll activate our defense systems as soon as you and your people are safely on your ship." She gave Phlox a sad smile, then gave the bat a final scratch under the jaw. "Peace be with you, Little One, and protect your Master."

The bat only chittered as if he understood her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, don't make money off 'em.**

**Notes: A glimpse of the Engineering crew during a ship crisis and a surprise Switcheroo guest. (No, I haven't broken this AU canon, for it makes sense that Denobulans and Vulcans might have had contact with species that Humans haven't yet in this AU.) And BTW, if you look up "radan" on Memory Alpha's site, you'll find out exactly what it is and why it's so precious, but our intrepid heroes don't know why yet, and won't for a while.**

**Rating: T**

**Please R&R...even if you haven't reviewed before. I'd like to hear what you all think. Thanks much! :)**

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**Five**

The moment he materialized back on _Enterprise_, Phlox headed to Engineering, with Hess, Rostov and Kelby close behind him. The bat squawked and waved his wings at crew members going to their posts. More than one person did a double-take at the creature on the Denobulan's shoulder.

"Um..Boss, do you think the warp core's gonna harm it?" Rostov asked, peering at the bat with a look of distrust. "Or it's gonna start flying in circles over our heads?"

Phlox sighed. "The Rangers assured me that Pyrithian bats are hardy creatures. As long as he behaves, I see no reason to confine him right now."

Hess grinned and added, "Besides, Michael, I think he's kinda cute." Rostov snorted, but he still grinned. Kelby only rolled his eyes, but said nothing. Of the three junior engineers, the bat seemed to get along with Hess the best, though Kelby kept his distance.

They burst into Engineering, which was a hub of chaos. Phlox saw screens flicker on and off, while the lights turned blue, then red, before becoming clear again. "Status!" he roared, using his bass "operatic" voice that never failed to get his staff's attention.

"Gremlins, looks like," Masaro replied. "Gets worse as those ships get closer. They're emitting some sort of strange radiation—" The young engineer tapped his screen, which immediately went blank. He slapped his console and the information returned. "Some sort of weird frequency. Lieutenant Commander Tucker raised the new shields, and they're blocking most of it out, but what's leaking in is enough to make the equipment haywire."

Phlox muttered a Denobulan curse under his breath, then he got an idea. He hit his comm. "Phlox to Mayweather."

"Mayweather," came the voice of the science and first officer.

"Commander, I'm curious...the radiation patterns that are affecting us...are they similar to the ones coming from Pyrithia?"

"Similar, but not exactly, Phlox. They seem to share some characteristics. I've got exogeology and exochemistry running scans on the mineral samples you brought up from the surface, but the results will take a while. Since those ships seem to belong to those prospectors—" Travis's tone darkened, "—I bet they're connected in some way."

"You mean the stones are the source of the problem?"

"That's what I suspect, though I don't have any proof. Call it a gut feeling."

"Ah, an educated guess." Phlox chuckled, despite the situation. "I'd be curious to hear those results, Commander. It may assist us down here in Engineering."

"I'll get them to you as soon as possible, Phlox. Mayweather, out."

Phlox closed the channel and glanced at the bat. "It seems like your instincts are correct, Little One. You keep listening to them. Masaro, give me a spectral analysis on the radiation particles—"

"Already ahead of you, Chief." Masaro switched screens and put up the information. "Got this from Chimoka over in Astrosciences. He's highlighted the cycles—here and here—"

Hess tiptoed over Masaro's shoulder. "Bucking for a raise, Seth?" she asked with humor in her voice.

"Nah, just making good use of contacts," Masaro replied with equal humor, then he became serious again. "If we modulate Lieutenant Commander Tucker's new shields to match these harmonics, we could dampen even more of these 'gremlins'. I don't think we can shut all of 'em out, but it'll make our lives easier."

"Do it. Anna, assist him. Any shred of protection will help us. Richard!"

Kelby's head popped up from the warp engine console. "Chief! We're starting to show some problems with the warp drive. We'll have to shut it down temporarily until we get it under control."

Phlox vaulted onto the platform next to Kelby and saw that Kelby was correct. "All right. I'll inform the captain. Michael, Eleyna, Darren, let's—"

Just then, the lights went out, and the sounds of machinery ceased.

"Aw, crap," said Kelby.

The bat shrieked and waved his wings; Phlox's hand automatically went up to soothe him. Then the lights went back on and the Engineering team went on as if nothing had happened.

"Bridge to Engineering!"

"Here, Captain!" Phlox shouted.

"Report to the Bridge immediately!" Captain Sato's voice was unusually sharp. "Someone wants to talk to you."

"Talk to me?_"_ he repeated. Who would want to talk to him right now? "I'm on my way. Richard, you are in command."

"Yes, Chief."

* * *

Phlox burst out of the turbolift and onto the Bridge, then stopped short. A familiar face peered at him out of the viewscreen with a mixture of bewilderment and trepidation. Phlox grinned and a responding smile slowly spread over the other's face, a smile punctuated with sharp teeth. Phlox crossed his right arm over his chest, nearly dislodging the bat in the process.

"NuqneH!" **(Hello, or literally, "What do you want?") **the man greeted. "And I see you have a pet."

"Hello to you as well. I see they saw it fit to reward you with your own ship now. Quite a promotion from a junior engineer in the Denobulan Engineering Exchange, eh," Phlox replied, ignoring the stunned stares from the Bridge crew.

"And I see you have been assigned to a non-Denobulan ship yourself," the other answered. "Quite a demotion, is it not?"

Phlox shrugged and his voice grew harder. "On the contrary, my friend. I am learning much from Humans...they are more innovative than you give them credit for. Oh, and speaking of my esteemed colleagues—" He turned and favored Hoshi Sato with a slight bow. "May I introduce my captain, Captain Hoshi Sato of the _Enterprise_. Captain Sato, may I introduce Captain Klaang of the _Wachboc, _in service to the Klingon Empire."

Klaang glanced at Hoshi and gave her a brusque nod. He didn't seem impressed at Hoshi's relatively small stature, but that didn't seem to be a priority for him right now. "Lady Captain. On behalf of the Klingon Empire, I bid you greetings."

"And on behalf of Earth, I return the greetings," Hoshi said. "NuqneH!" She gave it the same stress and intonation Phlox had; Klaang raised his eyebrows in pleased surprise. The Klingon's eyes drifted over to Jonathan Archer, at the communications station. There was a flash of something like recognition, though Jon had a look of confusion. Klaang refocused his attention on Phlox.

"QuaStaH nuq?" Phlox asked. **What is happening?**

"We have some lost baby _targ, _whom we believe belong to you. They gave up without firing a shot, _F'loch_, and they were carrying these." He held up a broken shard of a red-orange crystal. "Radan."

Suddenly, Travis's face dawned with comprehension. "Radan...a rare mineral used for statuary and jewelry."

"Yes, young one." The man chuckled at Travis's words. He sobered again and addressed Phlox. "We are ordered to deposit them onto your Earth ship without harm."

Phlox bowed slightly. "You are quite kind, my friend."

"Do not expect us to be so lenient the next time we meet. They have intruded into our space and we do not tolerate interlopers so lightly. I am not exactly following protocol in conversing with you; it is only because I know you that I am even attempting to do so." Klaang glanced over his shoulder and barked an order.

Travis nodded and said, "We're receiving transporter coordinates and settings, Captain."

"Lieutenant Commander Tucker, assemble a Security team to meet our 'guests' in Transporter Room One," Hoshi ordered quietly, and Trip headed for the lift. "My gratitude, Captain Klaang."

"I suggest you keep a better leash on such _targ_, Captain Sato. As I said, I will not be so lenient on intruders the second time." Klaang inclined his head. "Perhaps we will meet on the field of combat someday."

"Perhaps," she said in a neutral tone. "Though I would much rather have you as an ally than an enemy, Captain Klaang."

Klaang threw back his head and laughed. "Perhaps. I wish you success, Captain Sato. And my friend _F'loch, _until we meet again."

"Until next we meet, Klaang. In the meantime, you might want to check the calibration of your impulse engines, just in case."

Klaang growled, but his eyes sparkled. "And you should check the quality of your air circulation systems, _F'loch_. Your Denobulan females pollute the air."

"I'm the only Denobulan currently on board, Klaang, and that last time wasn't Feezal's fault."

"Ah, so she claims. Be wary of her; she can give my mate a run for her money." Klaang laughed again, then saluted Phlox. "_Qa'pla!"_ The Klingon's image disappeared, then his ship made a one hundred and eighty degree turn away from Pyrithia and vanished into warp.

Silence fell onto the Bridge. "Pleasant guy," Travis commented.

"For a Klingon, he is, actually," Phlox remarked.

Jon nodded and said, "Saphia Daro warned us about them when we were on Betazed. Argumentative, stubborn, honor-bound---"

Phlox shrugged and exhaled a long breath. "I can see why Diplomat Daro would think so of the Klingons, Lieutenant Commander." He glanced at Hoshi. "They are a warrior culture, Captain, but they pick and choose their own battles. You don't usually see them stray out of their own territory much...unless they feel threatened. Then they have no mercy."

"And he used to be an engineer?" Hoshi asked.

"Yes...a good one as well. If you ask me, he is wasted in command, but that is merely my opinion." Again, Phlox reached up and stroked the agitated bat on his shoulder. "It's all right, Little One. Klaang isn't a bad person, truly. Bats are not a delicacy among their kind."

Laughter rang over the Bridge, from all but T'Pol, who only raised an eyebrow. "I did not know you were familiar with Klingon culture, Commander," she said.

"It has been forty years since I last seen Klaang," he answered, "and I hadn't heard from him since he returned to Kronos, his homeworld. I am willing to share what I know about his culture, but Diplomat Daro's information may be more current."

"Any information might be helpful," Hoshi remarked. She gave Phlox a "We'll talk later" look, then tapped her comm. "Sato to Tucker."

Trip replied, "Sheez, this Klaang guy got these people completely spooked, Cap'n. They followed my Security guys like lamb to the slaughter. No muss, no fuss. What he do to 'em?"

Phlox sighed and deadpanned, "He did his usual convincing, it seems, Lieutenant Commander, and it can be quite effective." He glanced at Hoshi. "With your permission, Captain, I'll return to Engineering."

Hoshi nodded her permission and Phlox headed back to the lift. Travis asked in low voice, "I guess you and Klaang have some...inside jokes between you two?"

Phlox smiled. "You might say that." Then he left the Bridge.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, don't make money off 'em.**

**Notes: More thoughts from Phlox about TnT and a shipwide emergency sparks a rather unorthodox idea from Phlox.**

**Rating: T**

**Pairing: TnT**

**Please R&R...even if you haven't reviewed before. I'd like to hear what you all think. Thanks much! :)

* * *

**

**Six**

Phlox sighed and regarded the bat as he sat in his office. The bat had appropriated a metal bar at a corner of the room, one that displayed a diagram of lithium chain reactions in a warp core. Attached to the bar was a container of blood flies, courtesy of Mylene. Masaro had found the empty can lying around Main Engineering and soldered it to the bar, so the bat had an automatic food dispenser, as long as Phlox kept it full.

Of course, the bat preferred contact with his handler, so Phlox reached for the plate of blood flies on his desk and tossed one to the bat. He snatched it up greedily from the air and chewed in calm content.

"What shall I call you?" Phlox asked. "Very soon, according to Mylene, you will be too big for me to keep calling you 'Little One'."

Then he heard T'Pol's voice from the doorway. "What is the Denobulan word for 'bat'?"

Phlox glanced up at the Vulcan with a perplexed expression. "We do not have an equivalent lifeform per se on Denobula. I suppose the closest term would be '_aelnat'_, which means 'winged one'. Hmm...Aelnat. _Ill-nath_. Somehow, I'm not too enamored with the name."

She didn't quite shrug, but she replied, "It was only a suggestion, Commander. I have confidence that you will be able to find an appropriate name for your pet." She inclined her head. "May I sit and speak in confidence?"

"Of course, Lieutenant." Phlox gestured to the chair opposite him. He noticed that T'Pol did not look completely well; in fact, she looked sick to her stomach. "Are you feeling well? Forgive me, but you look somewhat more...greenish...than usual."

T'Pol shook her head as if dismissing his concern. "I am functional, Commander. I would like you to see your handiwork concerning the protection against this radan." She drew out a shiny metal box, its lid latched securely shut.

"Ah, so the design works," Phlox said, pleased at the result, "though I cannot take sole credit for it. Masaro, Hess, Chimoka and Commander Mayweather also made contributions. So, it prevents the radiation from leaking to the outside."

"Yes." T'Pol leaned forward and tapped Phlox's computer console. A set of readings appeared on it that caught his attention. "Once Commander Mayweather knew what to look for, he consulted geological records for this radan. At the left, you see the structure of the familiar form of the element. Compare it with the readings on the right, the ones of the samples from Pyrithia."

He blinked at the comparison. "Fascinating. The molecular structure of the Pyrithian samples are in perfect lattices and vibrate in complete harmony with each other. The 'normal' radan does not have that quality."

"Yes. That stable molecular structure allows the mineral to be used for artistic purposes, but radan as a whole is relatively rare."

"But in enough quantities—" Phlox tapped a value on the screen. "Hmmm...I wonder. Could this element be used as a capacitor to store energy?"

"Perhaps. It may be also used to convert energy from one form to another...but we need to subject this to more testing and refining before we can prove that assumption."

Phlox sat back in his seat, lost in thought, as he contemplated this new possibility. "If that is true, then I can see why the 'prospectors' were so eager to mine it, and if the trade consortia on Andoria and Earth knew of its properties..." He glanced sharply at T'Pol, who blinked rapidly in the relatively normal light of the office. "Lieutenant? T'Pol?"

The Vulcan woman didn't respond for several seconds and Phlox moved his hand to call Doctor Reed, but then she put a hand on his and startled him with the gesture. "Allow me a few moments, Commander."

"What is it?" he asked her. "Do you need medical attention?"

"No..I have not had the opportunity to meditate properly since we left Betazed," she admitted with downcast eyes. "It is beginning to affect my thought processes."

Phlox blinked in surprise. First Kov, now T'Pol. Did their unexpected adventure on Betazed did them harm that was not so obvious? "Then you should do so without delay. You are off-duty now, are you not?"

She nodded, but it had a distracted quality to it, as if something else in his office had caught her attention. The bat twisted his head to look at her, but made no sound. Phlox frowned, then said, "I will call Sickbay—"

There was a sharp rap on the door and Doctor Malcolm Reed stepped in. Phlox sighed in relief at the sight of the doctor. "Doctor Reed, Lieutenant T'Pol needs care—"

Malcolm nodded and asked, "She hasn't been resting or meditating, hasn't she?"

"She has admitted as much to me. I am concerned for her, and for Kov as well."

"As am I. I believe there may be some ill effects that we did not anticipate." Malcolm knelt in front of T'Pol and put his hands on her shoulders. Phlox's command of Vulcan was not perfect—he knew enough to deal with Vulcan engineers—but he understood Reed's question: "_What do you see?"_

She answered, "I am not certain. It all swirls around me in confusion. I cannot focus on a single image."

Malcolm switched to English and addressed Phlox. "This happens frequently when Vulcans do not meditate and clear their minds, Commander. A Human's thought processes and reaction times are compromised when they are utterly exhausted. Vulcans do the same, despite their reassurances that they are all right."

"She sounds...well, forgive me, Doctor, somewhat delusional. It is as if she sees things that aren't really there."

Malcolm nodded, though Phlox saw that his remark had struck an uncomfortable chord with the doctor. "Brain chemistry in Vulcans can be rather...tricky at times. Commander, will you do me a favor? I know that Lieutenant Commander Tucker is busy with our 'guests', but can you inform him to meet us in Sickbay at his earliest convenience?"

"Certainly. Though I do not understand...what does Charles have to do with this?"

"He was with her on Betazed when Menos reveled himself, then again when Jossen approached Kov. Perhaps he can offer some insight as to what T'Pol is seeing...or thinks she's seeing."

"Ah. Now I understand." Phlox suspected there was more than just that simple reason; Malcolm all but confirmed his previous suspicions without saying a word. _A definite tie between Tucker and T'Pol, more serious than I had first thought. _"I will let Charles know immediately, and please let me know about her condition. As I said, I am quite concerned for her."

"Of course." Malcolm touched T'Pol's arm. She blinked as if coming out of a deep sleep. "Come, T'Pol. You need a quiet place to gather your thoughts."

"Yes, Doctor." T'Pol glanced at Phlox; if a Vulcan could be embarrassed, she was definitely embarrassed. "Forgive me, Commander—"

Phlox waved off her apology. "No harm done, Lieutenant. Go with Doctor Reed; we will continue this conversation later." As soon as Malcolm and T'Pol left his office, he paged Tucker and informed him on the situation.

"Tell the Doc I'll be right there, Phlox. Tucker, out." Trip didn't sound surprised, but Phlox heard a definite note of tension in the Southern drawl. If the two were connected in some way, it made sense that he would feel what T'Pol felt. Were they aware of it? They had to be aware of it, Phlox decided. A connection that strong could not be ignored. Then it begged the questions: _How? Why? _And more important, _What will happen now?_

Phlox lanced over at the bat, who had been strangely silent this entire time. "Do you think there is more between Charles and T'Pol than meets the eye, Little One? I certainly think so. A Vulcan and a Human? The Universe is a strange place, is it not?"

The bat only squeaked a request. Phlox sighed and tossed another blood fly in the bat's direction. Phlox contemplated the radan in the box, then the information on his screen. It promised to be an interesting conundrum to solve.

* * *

Phlox joined Captain Sato, Commander Mayweather, Doctor Reed, Lieutenant Commander Archer and Lieutenant Commander Tucker in the Captain's Mess. Hoshi seemed to use informal dinners to hear opinions and reports from her senior staff. The Denobulan didn't object to this practice; it gave him the opportunity to observe his colleagues. They all sighed with relief at Malcolm's and Trip's reassurances of T'Pol's health. The Vulcan had just overextended herself beyond her endurance, that was all.

"She did go through a lot since _Enterprise _launched," Jon admitted. "First the deal with T'Marui, then with Musica, and then finding out Menos is still around....it's taken her some time to adjust to it. Kov, too. It'll take him a while to recover."

"Mmmm," Hoshi murmured, as she pushed her empty bowl of plomeek soup. "Malcolm, should they need some time off?"

Malcolm shook his head. "I would suggest light duties for both, at least until they recover their mental equilibrium. Kov, especially, needs to feel useful."

"All right, light duty, until they've had time to rest and meditate." She turned to Phlox and asked, "How's your little friend adjusting to Engineering?"

Phlox grinned and replied, "He's made a home for himself in my office, munching on blood flies and flying about on occasion. The Engineering crew seems taken by his 'cuteness', as Lieutenant Hess puts it."

"Got a name for him yet?" Trip asked.

"Not yet...though I'm considering asking the crew to assist me..."

"A raffle or a betting pool?" Hoshi asked, her voice humorous. "I suppose it could be good for crew morale, Phlox."

Travis laughed and finished the beer in his stein. "It'd be interesting to see what the crew comes up with. I'm sure someone'll come up with something creative, Commander."

"I'm sure of that." Phlox sighed and regarded his lo mein. "What will we do with our 'guests', Captain?"

Hoshi sobered and said, "We're rendezvousing with the _S'taaven _in six hours, and they'll be taking the illegal miners into custody. I don't envy what's coming to them, though." Phlox felt somewhat relieved that the "targ", as Klaang had called them, would be punished for their crimes. She turned back to Archer. "Jon, anything from the Lhirana Consortium or from Andoria?"

Jon scowled and shook his head. "General Phaelen denies any involvement, of course, though there's some evidence that his off-world contacts might have been looking to make some profits on the side with illegal excavation of minerals and poaching of native animals. Phaelen's covered his tracks pretty well, so the military investigator has his work cut out for him."

"Who is he?"

"One of Phaelan's rivals...and a name that you should recognize, Captain. General Shran."

Hoshi nodded. "He was the one who helped Matt---Captain Hayes---during _Columbia_'s stay on Andoria. Shran's stubborn; if Phaelan's guilty, he'll find the evidence."

Suddenly, the lights dimmed again. The captain moved towards the comm, but Phlox beat her to it as Rostov's voice paged him."We're getting some sort of interference again, Commander."

"I thought we placed every radan sample within the protective boxes, Michael."

"We did_. _This is different, Chief. Hess, Kelby and Massaro are trying to trace the source of the disruptions, but it's elusive. Just as we purge one system, another one acts up."

"Environmental systems?"

"Safe so far, and that includes life support and gravity. Everything else seems to be fair game, Chief."

Phlox sighed and said, "I'm on my way. Keep looking for the gremlins, Michael. Phlox, out."

Trip nodded and wiped his mouth. "Gremlins sound about right. I'd better head to the Armory and make sure everything's secure."

"Alert stations, everyone," Hoshi ordered. "Condition yellow."

The senior staff scattered at her words. Phlox took the lift down to Engineering and reached it just in time, for the power went out again after he'd taken a few steps out of the lift. He ran through the hatch and nearly ran into Kelby.

"Internal sensors off-line!" Kelby reported. "Re-initiating sensory start-up sequence."

"Everyone all right?" Phlox demanded.

"We've got a few people who were in the crawlways when the power went," Hess reported. "All of them got out...except for Crewman Holloway. The last we heard she was in FH-Ninety..."

Phlox consulted a mental map of _Enterprise_'s myriad crawlways. "That's on the opposite side of the ship, on F-deck. If she hasn't responded, she might have fallen and gotten hurt."

"That's assuming she stayed in FH-Ninety. If she was on her way out, she could be anywhere, Chief."

Phlox bit his lip, then heard agitated noises from his office. _The bat! Internal sensors might be malfunctioning, but _he _has his own built-in sonar! He could help us find Holloway! _It was a crazy idea, but it might just work.

"Send a runner to Sickbay and have Doctor Reed or Lieutenant Cutler meet me on F-Deck, Junction FH-Ninety!" Phlox rushed into his office and pulled out one of the old hawker's gloves that Thala had given him. He clucked his tongue and the bat settled onto his right wrist as if he'd done it since birth. Then he barreled past a startled Hess with the bat perched precariously on his arm and they began to climb the emergency access ladder, heading for F Deck.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, don't make money off 'em.**

**Notes: The bat proves his usefulness to the crew. Phlox and company find the source of the mechanical problems on board _Enterprise._**

**Rating: T**

**Please R&R

* * *

**

**Seven**

The bat seemed to pick up on Phlox's intentions, for he launched himself off his wrist and preceded him to Junction FH-Ninety. By the time Phlox reached the junction himself, the bat was perched on the Doctor Malcolm Reed's shoulder and chittering away at high speed. Malcolm nodded as if he understood. Next to Malcolm was Trip Tucker, who was scanning the narrow crawlspace with a hand scanner. Trip swore and slapped the scanner with his hand.

"Whatever gremlin this is has affected my equipment too," Trip groused. He glanced at the bat. "You think he can help us?"

"Sonar," was all Phlox said, and Trip gave him a wide grin.

"Damn, why didn't I think of that? Phlox, you're a genius!" The armory officer glanced at the bat on Malcolm's shoulder. "You get that, little guy? We need you to find Holloway, okay? She might be hurt or unconscious and we're depending on you. Got that?"

The bat rustled and chirped in response. Malcolm chuckled and mused, "I feel like a falconer on a fox hunt. All right, go find Crewman Holloway."

The bat gazed at the open hatch, then took off so abruptly that he knocked Malcolm off balance. Trip caught the doctor before he ended up on the deck. Phlox took a deep breath and squeezed his way into the crawlspace. It was a tight fit, but he scrambled forward to keep up. He counted himself fortunate that he wasn't claustrophobic; getting stuck was a real possibility. High-pitched echoes bounced off the walls and he closed his eyes to hear better. There, to the right. He pushed a stray cable out of his way and followed the sounds. Then he came to a split in the tunnel and jumped as Malcolm ran into him.

"Which way?" Malcolm asked.

"One moment, Doctor." Phlox strained to hear the bat. "Over there, to the left."

"I hope she knows where she's goin'," Trip commented from behind Malcolm. Then the three men fell silent as they continued the pursuit.

The conduit began to widen, then ended at a grate. The mesh wire covering the grate had been sliced or ripped open and Phlox peered through it. He recognized where they were. "Gentlemen, I believe we're just outside a turbolift shaft, F-seventeen A."

"Holloway's in a lift shaft? If the power comes back on—"

"I'm quite aware of that, Charles." Phlox inched forward, then heard a distinct clanging sound. "Crewman Holloway! It's Commander Phlox! Can you hear me?"

Holloway sounded shaken, but she was alive. "Chief? I'm clinging to the emergency ladder, but I don't know how long I can hold on. I think my ankle's broken. The lift cable's down to a thread...I figured I'd better get the hell out before it decided to snap and take me with it...and I think your pet got out of Engineering, sir."

Her words came out in a rush and Phlox couldn't help but smile at the show of bravery underneath them. "He's the one who went looking for you, Crewman, and I'm glad he found you. Give us a moment and we'll get you out of there. Lieutenant Commander Tucker and Doctor Reed are with me."

"Thanks, Chief. I appreciate it."

Phlox banged on the remains of the grate until it bent enough for him to remove it, then poked his head cautiously and looked around. Holloway was somewhere below him, but out of sight, and the bat squawked and flapped his wings. He shone his flashlight and caught a glimpse of the lift cable. Holloway hadn't been exaggerating about how threadbare it looked. They neededto get her out before either the power went back on or the cable snapped. If either happened, Holloway and the bat would be crushed.

He gauged the distance between himself and the ladder and swallowed hard. Too bad he didn't have wings like the bat! Cautiously, he wriggled through the grate and reached up and to his right. Phlox grasped the rung tightly and pulled himself the rest of the way out. His feet flailed in open space until they banged against the rung below him; Phlox gently settled his feet down and sighed in relief. Carefully, he eased his way further down the lift shaft.

"Chief? Am I glad to see you!"

The cone of light from Phlox's flashlight rested on Holloway's pale face. Her dark brown hair was a tangle around her shoulders, her white-knuckled hands clutched the rungs and her muscles trembled with effort. Her right leg was twisted in an odd angle; Phlox thought that her injury involved more than just her ankle. The bat occupied the rung directly above Holloway and he blinked owlishly in the light.

"Good job, Little One, you've found her. Now go and alert Captain Sato. Go on, now." The bat chittered in response and launched himself upwards and disappeared in the blackness above Phlox. The engineer climbed down until he was above Holloway. "Crewman, can you wrap your arms around my waist and hang on? We're not too far away from a hatch."

"My arms are pretty stiff, but I'll try. If you could lower yourself a bit further, Chief—"

There was the sound of commotion, then Travis Mayweather's voice came from above them. "Phlox? I've got some people up here on the landing and I'm gonna throw a rope down to you. Can you wrap it around Holloway's waist, so we can haul her up?"

"Excellent idea, Commander." There was a whistling sound, then the rope bopped him on the head. He winced, but managed to get a hold of it. Then he closed the gap between himself and Holloway. "Did you hear Commander Mayweather?"

She nodded, her eyes betraying her relief and her pain. "I tried to move my arms, but I'm afraid my muscles are so stiff I can't."

"It's almost over, Crewman, don't you worry." He managed to maneuver himself enough to tie the rope one-handed around Holloway's waist. Phlox felt the trembling of her muscles with the effort of just hanging on to the ladder. A crackling sound above them told Phlox that he'd better hurry. Gently, he pried her hands away from the rungs and wrapped them around the rope.

"Phlox?"

"Yes, Charles?"

"I'm hangin' right between you and Travis, just to make sure nothin' happens to Holloway. The doc's on the landin' with Travis and the others. Soon as she's up, you get your butt back up here. I don't like the sound of that lift cable."

"Believe me, Charles, I'll make great haste in getting out of here." He double-checked the rope and gave Holloway a reassuring smile. Then he raised his voice. "We're ready, Commander Mayweather!"

Trip relayed his message with, "All right, haul 'er up, slowly and carefully!"

With a final smile, Phlox tugged on the rope twice, then Travis and the others began pulling Holloway up. Phlox watched as she disappeared out of sight, but overheard Trip greeting her and reassuring her again that everything was all right. Then Phlox started to climb upward, rapidly catching up to Trip, who was doing the same. To their relief, they both made it to the platform safely and were back through the hatch.

Malcolm was already fussing over his patient, who now lay in a stretcher, and Phlox traded looks with Hess. "The emergency bulkheads never activated, Anna," he told her, "and that worries me. We'll have to engage them manually before we repair the cable."

Hess nodded, but she shared her boss's concern. "We'll take every precaution, Chief."

"Thanks, Anna." Phlox glanced down at Holloway; the crewman gave him a weak smile and he patted her shoulder in reassurance. "Now, you follow whatever Doctor Reed says and I'll see you back in Engineering before you know it."

"Thanks, Chief. I will." At Malcolm's signal, a pair of orderlies activated the anti-grav stretcher and floated her away with Malcolm walking alongside it.

Trip frowned at Phlox and he said, "You're right; the safety measures never kicked in. We'd better make that our first priority, Phlox. If they're not workin' in a crisis, it could be deadly."

"My thoughts exactly, Charles." Phlox sighed and rubbed his cranial ridge. They had this problem, on top of all the other malfunctions. It was going to be a LONG day.

The bat squawked and assumed his place on Phlox's shoulder. "You've earned more than your keep, Little One. You're entitled to as many blood flies as you want."

Trip managed a grin. "Y'know, we oughta call him Sonar. Or Squeaky. Or Fang. Or Torpedo. Or..."

Travis snapped his fingers and added, "How about Flyer?"

"Little Dracula?" piped up another engineering crewman.

"I kinda like Rosebud," Hess said.

"Rosebud?" said Travis, Trip and everyone else. Phlox tried to remember the reference of the name and it came to him.

"Ah, 'Citizen Kane' and Orson Welles." He gave all of them a wide Denobulan grin. "Rest assured, I will take all of your nominations under consideration. Come, Lieutenant Commander Tucker, we've got plenty to do."

Trip nodded and said, "Right behind ya, Commander."

When they were out of earshot, Phlox added, "Thank you, Charles."

Trip's smile became sober as he answered, "Something to keep their spirits up. I got a bad feeling that when we find the cause of all these mechanical screw-ups, it ain't gonna be pretty."

"Agreed." Phlox was also serious, "and I'm not eager to inform Arthur or Admiral Archer about our hardships, either."

* * *

"You mean to tell me that this strange radiation is still affecting the ship's systems, despite all of our precautions?"

Phlox nodded wearily and touched his screen. Travis Mayweather and Trip Tucker crowded behind him and watched silently as the engineer highlighted the pertinent information on his screen. "Yes, it seems that this new form of radan is capable of disrupting mechanical and electrical systems, unless we can develop some kind of protective shielding to dampen its effects. Unfortunately, we do not yet have the technology to do so. And if these recent readings are correct, it's also breaking down at a phenomenal rate. The effects are causing havoc with the ship's failsafes, the internal and external sensors---"

Hoshi scowled as she listened to the conversation. "So, the samples we brought from the surface are the cause of our malfunctions."

"Looks like it, Cap'n," Trip confirmed. "We're gonna have to get rid of every trace of radan from the ship, and I mean every trace of it."

Malcolm shook his head and added, "The effects of the radiation has already begun to affect certain personnel. Lieutenant T'Pol was beginning to show signs of lethargy and lapses of memory; she seemed extremely susceptible to the effects. Kov as well."

Trip glanced sharply at him. "They gonna be okay?"

"They're in decon right now, and I've treated them both for the residual radiation sickness." Malcolm raised an eyebrow at the Armory Officer's reaction, but said nothing.

Phlox saw the glance that passed between Hoshi and Travis; some sort of unspoken communication passed between the two. Malcolm went on before Trip could comment further."Anyone else who's been in direct physical contact with it will also need to go through a cycle in decon and undergo the same treatment for radiation sickness immediately."

Phlox winced; Decon wasn't on his list of favorite places, but if it was necessary, he would go. "That includes myself, Lieutenants Hess, Kelby and Rostov, Ensign Masaro---"

"Us too," Travis said as he nodded at Trip."What about Sebastian?"

"Sebastian? Who's Sebastian?" Trip asked, confused.

Hoshi chuckled at her Armory officer's expression. "Phlox's bat. Lieutenant. Cutler won the ship's naming contest."

"Like the Disney character? The crab?"

She grinned and shrugged as she replied, "I think the name fits him, though I doubt he'll be conducting an underwater orchestra anytime soon." There were chuckles around Engineering, then she sobered as she refocused on the problem at hand. "According to Malcolm, Sebastian seems immune to certain types of radiation, like radan, and the delta radiation from the warp core, so he's fine."

Travis nodded in confirmation. "Makes sense. He's originally from deep underground and his species adapted to the radiation. We'll have to return the samples back to where they were found, and that means we'll need to take Sebastian with us. Phlox, you'll need to bring him."

Hoshi sighed and rubbed her temples, then straightened up as she gave her orders. "All right. Travis, Phlox, you two secure all the radan for immediate transport. Jon, I want you to contact Thala and Mylene and explain the situation; they might want to get their Rangers checked out for radiation sickness as well."

"I'd like to start sending some of my people into Decon," Travis said, "and avoid the rush."

"Go ahead. Phlox, I want your engineers to have a turn as soon as all the radan is off the ship. Trip, your people too." She nodded at everyone. "Let's be about it, gentlemen."

The senior staff went to their assigned duties. Phlox sighed as he accepted the modified radiation counter from Travis and he began to scan every part of Engineering. As he expected, the room was saturated with radan radiation; not high enough to kill anyone, but enough to cause some problems.

"Commander, we'll have decontaminate Engineering, but I believe we're equipped for that. It will take some time."

"Do what you have to, Phlox. I'll do the same with the science labs. And the radan that Lieutenant T'Pol gave you?"

"Locked away in a triple-shielded box, based on your and T'Pol's design. As long as it remains in there during transport, it should be all right."

"We'll have to use a shuttlepod. We can't risk taking it through the transporter; the last thing I want to happen is have some sort of accident while someone's atoms are in the pattern buffer. Of course, that means decontaminating the pod too." He sighed and shook his head. "What a pain."

"I'd rather be safe than sorry, Commander. We've already seen what kind of effect it has on the ship's systems."

Travis nodded in agreement. "All right. I'll bring the box to Shuttle Bay Two and collect the others. As soon as I'm gone, send whoever you can spare to Sickbay and begin decon procedures here."

"Gladly, Commander." Phlox handed Travis the box and the Science Officer left Engineering with it. Phlox raised his voice to address everyone else. "All right, let's do this, ladies and gentlemen. The sooner we've begun, the sooner we're done."

* * *

"Remarkable," Malcolm murmured. "It seems that your Rangers are immune to the radiation."

Thala nodded in agreement and replied, "Many of us are second or third-generation. Our parents and grandparents must have adapted and passed some sort of immunity to us."

"If you don't mind, I'd like to get some samples from you and Mylene. We might be able to formulate a counter to the radiation; it would help with healing patients in the future."

"Certainly." As Thala relented to his ministrations, she said, "I assume you haven't had a lot of experience around animals, Doctor? Hence your remark about not being a veterinarian?"

He chuckled dryly. "My family moved around quite often when I was a child. I'm afraid I never had the opportunity to take care of a pet."

"Ah, understandable. Some of our animals produce healing byproducts; since your ship will be here longer than expected, I'd be happy to show you."

"That would be marvelous, thank you."

She nodded and went on, "It seems that your engineer gets along with animals quite well. First, the moon hawk, then the bat. We have a word for people who are attuned to our wildlife, _den'nai. _If Commander Phlox was not needed on your ship, I would request that he be reassigned to assist our refuge."

"Yes, it seems rather strange that Phlox gets along well with the bat, but Denobula---the planet he hails from---is rather crowded and he's used to people and animals in such a confined space. That is why he doesn't mind long stretches of time in Engineering."

"A pity. I believe he of all people would benefit from fresh air and sunshine. You would as well."

Malcolm raised a eyebrow at the implicit invitation. "Once I've taken care of the crew, I may be able to find some time to rejoin you on the surface."

"I would be honored, Doctor Reed."

He smiled a little. "I think we're all finished here, Thala. A little sticking plaster and you should be good---" The walls shook abruptly and the lights dimmed before returning to full intensity. Malcolm hit the intercom. "Reed to the Bridge."

Hoshi replied, "We've got some visitors, Malcolm. Red alert; you might be getting some patients soon."

"Acknowledged, Captain. Reed out." He looked at Thala. "I'm sorry---"

"That's all right, Doctor. If I can help you in any way---"

He nodded. "We could always use another pair of hands."


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, don't make money off 'em.**

**Notes: This is the last chapter. The claim jumpers find that greed does not pay. Phlox makes a decision to help T'Pol in her struggle against Koss's family.**

**Rating:T**

**Please R&R. Thanks for doing so! It really helps!

* * *

**

**Eight**

"They're comin' around for another pass, Cap'n," Trip reported from the Tactical station. "Firin'." The ship trembled slightly, but, "No damage."

"They're Nausicaans, ma'am," added Lieutenant Ellen Varianis from the science station. "Three ships, two directly to starboard of us, the third on the other side of the planet."

Hoshi nodded grimly. "Looks like word's spread about the radan, and the Rangers are going to have a stream of unwanted visitors. Jon?"

Archer shook his head and tapped his board. "They're not replying to hails, Captain. I don't think they're interested in talking to us."

"The two are trying to distract us while the third does some old fashioned claim jumpin'," Trip said.

"Disable them as fast as you can, Trip. Jon, keep trying to get through to them. I want to avoid an all-out brawl if we can help it."

Varianis raised her eyebrows and said, "Transporter activity from the third ship. I think they've sent their people down."

"How close to Commanders Mayweather and Phlox?"

Varianis scowled and shook her head. "Fairly close, ma'am. About fifty meters away from their previous position."

Hoshi looked over at Jon again. "Alert Travis and Phlox, then get me Mylene. The Rangers definitely have some unwanted visitors now."

* * *

"That should be the last of it, Commander Mayweather." Phlox lifted the last of the radan out of the protective chamber and put it in the niche carved into the cave wall. Sebastian squeaked and waved his wings as Phlox did so. His tiny claws didn't puncture the EVA suit, although Phlox hoped it would stay that way.

"Good. I feel a lot better with it off the ship." Travis frowned as his scanner beeped a warning. "We've got company, Phlox."

"Lieutenant Commander Tucker's men?"

"Nope, not Human. Nausicaan. Seems like word's spread about the radan." Travis muttered a string of curses under his breath. His family had tangled with Nausicaan pirates before; Phlox knew the young man's opinion of their hospitality. "You and Sebastian get under cover. Lieutenant Trace?"

Trip's second-in-command nodded and waved the three security men behind stalactites, just in time before several beams of lights came from the end of the tunnel. Phlox heard the Nausicaans' guttural language as it echoed off the walls. They strode into view, five of them, all armed with heavy blasters. The leader pointed at the glittering crystals that Phlox had set in the wall. One of his cohorts eagerly reached for it, but was soundly thumped by the leader.

"Dan'qui ran thyu pas!" The Nausicaan smirked as he picked up one of the multi-faceted crystals---then howled in pain as he immediately dropped it. The smell of burnt flesh wafted past Phlox's nose and he stifled a cough.

"Cha' aru ba na ti!" spat the second man. He took a drawstring bag out of his belt and used it to scoop the radan from the floor. "La'ran pas!" The others abandoned their injured leader to take some of the spoils for themselves, but they were very careful not to touch the crystals with their hands. The new leader smirked as he attached his full bag prominently on his belt, against his right leg.

Phlox realized Sebastian was being unusually quiet. He would have made some sort of noise to give away their hiding place, but he remained calm. He automatically reached up to pet Sebastian, but then another howl of outrage froze his hand in the air.

"Ka'kucha!" The crystals had burned through the makeshift bags and scorched anything---and anyone---it touched on its way back to the floor. Some of the Nausicaans stumbled as their feet were hit; others rolled around in agony, clutching their legs, their sides, and other sensitive areas.

"Greed does not pay," Phlox murmured. He exchanged nods with Travis and Lieutenant Trace, and stood up from behind his stalactite. Unfortunately for the Nausicaans, no one was in any shape to mount an effective defense against the Starfleet team. Trace and his Security men didn't even have to fire their phase pistols.

"I think they've learned their lesson," Travis said, with grim humor. "C'mon, let's get them topside."

* * *

**Chief Engineer's Personal Log, March 8, 2154**

**We have remained in orbit around Pyrithia for the past week, as efforts to decontaminate the ship from radan radiation are concluded. News of the unfortunate Nausicaan raiding party has spread through the Boomer network, courtesy of Commander Mayweather. There have been no more attempts to land on the planet; I'm not sure exactly how Travis has phrased the report, but it seems to have been effective.**

**Radan may yet become an energy source in the unspecified future, if its disastrous side effects can be avoided. Lieutenant T'Pol and I have agreed to study and work on the problem as a side project. Her experience working with Vulcan Space and Ship Operations has already made the initial design plans easier. In fact, she has consulted with some contacts in the VSSO and is awaiting a reply.**

**In the meantime, Commander Mayweather, Doctor Kov and the science team continue to study the flora and fauna of Pyrithia Colony, while Doctor Reed discusses the potential medical uses from some of those same flora and fauna with Ranger Thala. The Ranger seems a bit (ahem) enamored with the good doctor, but I am not certain the feeling is reciprocated. Reed actually seems embarrassed by the attention.**

**As for Sebastian and I, we've settled into a comfortable routine aboard **_**Enterprise. **_**I believe he will enjoy Enterprise as his new home.**

* * *

"We've put a small breeding case in your doctor's Sickbay, Phlox, so you won't run out of food for Sebastian" Mylene told him, "and Thala has thoroughly briefed Doctor Reed and Doctor Kov on his care. It looks like your little friend has adapted quite well to your ship, more than I had expected." She scratched Sebastian under the chin, then gave him a blood fly. The bat snapped it up as if Phlox hadn't already fed him three times that morning.

"He's already assisted us in saving a fellow crewman. Sebastian has proven himself a worthy addition to the crew," Phlox told her, as he gave his pet an indulgent smile. "It seems that Sebastian's instincts are better than anyone expected."

"Well, I am glad he is an excellent companion to you." Mylene's smile faded and she shook her head. "Will Earth take over Pyrithia because of this 'radan' element? Our scientists think it may have more uses than just aesthetic, but will this compromise our mission as a wildlife refuge?"

Phlox shifted uncomfortably; Mylene's question had touched upon the core of the controversy. "I would say that Starfleet and Earth's government have a greater interest in your planet, Mylene. What they ultimately will decide...I cannot say."

"Our animals live from day to day. I suppose that is the best advice for these unsettled times."

"That may be the best advice," Phlox agreed, but he didn't voice the increasing concern he felt for Pyrithia, for _Enterprise_ and the rest of Earth's interests. Judging from Mylene's expression, he knew the Ranger thought the same thing.

Phlox and Sebastian walked Mylene and Thala to the transporter room and Phlox personally activated the controls. Both Rangers smiled and saluted Phlox as they vanished from sight. Phlox tapped the comlink. "Phlox to Bridge. Our guests are safely home."

"Thank you, Phlox," Captain Sato replied. "Helm, take us out, warp two."

"Yes, ma'am," said the helmsman—not T'Pol, Phlox noticed. He retraced his steps back to Engineering.

* * *

"Chief, Lieutenant T'Pol is waiting for you in your office," called Kelby.

"Thank you, Richard." He hurried to his office to find the Vulcan seated in the chair across from his desk. Sebastian settled into his regular perch as Phlox greeted her. "What can I do for you, Lieutenant?"

"I have Assistant Minister T'Jal on a secured channel. She is eager to talk to us."

It took Phlox a moment to remember who T'Jal was: she was an important official in the Ministry of Vulcan Space and Ship Operations. If T'Pol knew her, then T'Pol had connections that Phlox was unaware of. "By all means, we shouldn't keep her waiting."

T'Pol nodded and activated the screen. An older Vulcan woman appeared, her glossy black hair touched with silver and hard lines at the corners of her mouth. Despite the stern demeanor, T'Jal's eyes sparkled with genuine humor. T'Pol split her fingers in the Vulcan salute and Phlox did his best to copy her. "It is an honor to finally meet you, Commander Phlox," T'Jal said, her Standard English as clipped and precise as Malcolm Reed's,

"The honor is mine, Lady T'Jal," he replied graciously. "Thank you for taking the time to talk with us."

T'Jal gave T'Pol a look that Phlox didn't know how to interpret. "T'Pol has told me about your equipment trouble, caused by the radiation from the radan. I must admit that the situation, while grave, does not completely surprise me."

"Indeed?"

"My words are not meant as an insult to Henry Archer, for I consider him a brilliant designer and a more than competent engineer. I know that the ones he must obey have the same unfortunate mindset as the ones here at VSSO. What were Henry's words? 'If it isn't broke, don't fix it'?"

Phlox sat there, stunned by T'Jal's blunt words. He glanced at T'Pol, whose eyes sparkled with suppressed humor at the deadpan delivery of Henry Archer's words, though that humor was muted.

He kept his tone even. "I have heard the phrase before, Minister."

"I must admit that such rampant paranoia is more widespread here than your Starfleet realizes." T'Jal's tone became more ironic. "Especially within this family, I am ashamed to say. T'Pol, you must know that it has become dangerous to defy Soultek's wishes concerning this matter, so I must be brief."

T'Jal re-focused her attention on Phlox and raised her hand to the screen. He saw a datadisk within her fingers. "I have gathered every scrap of information that I judged pertinent to your problems, Commander. Please prepare your viewer to receive."

His fingers tapped the commands into the computer, then he nodded. T'Jal slid the disk into her terminal and after a few moments, the information winked on a secondary screen. "My utmost gratitude, Lady T'Jal. This will help us tremendously."

The assistant minister nodded. "I am sorry I cannot do more to help, but it is perilous to defy the clan elder, Soultek. T'Pol, it pains me to say this, but you cannot risk contacting me again, more for your sake than mine."

T'Pol bowed her head. "I understand."

"Peace and long life to you, niece-in-law-to-be, and to you, Commander Phlox. Vulcan Space and Ship Operations, out." T'Jal's image disappeared from the screen.

Phlox sighed and scrolled down the first page of T'Jal's information. "A brave woman."

"Yes. Not every member of my fiance's family follows Soultek's edicts," T'Pol said. "They find ways to follow their own consciences. I only fear that ones like T'Jal may suffer for it."

Phlox frowned and shook his head at her words. "And you? Are you in any danger?"

"Not directly." Her smirk was tinged with bitterness. "Thanks to Lieutenant Commander Tucker and Captain Sato, Soultek believes I am loyal to his clan, as befits his son's fiancee. As long as that is true, my mother will not be harmed." She shook her head. "My original mission was to keep watch on Doctor Reed. Now Kov has that responsibility."

"And now you are supposed to watch Lieutenant Commander Tucker." Phlox shook his head as she looked sharply at him. "I have seen you around him. An engineer must be observant...and sometimes discreet. Does he know?"

She hesitated and said, "I have not told him, but I suspect he knows anyway."

Phlox nodded to himself and murmured, "That would not surprise me at all." He sat there, silent for a moment, then added, "Should you need additional assistance against your fiance's family, I am willing to give it."

T'Pol stared at him. "I cannot get you involved in this matter. Denobula has no quarrel with Vulcan."

"As it should be. It will not be possible for me to support you overtly, but this---" he indicated the information from T'Jal, "---puts me in your debt. Denobulan families seem casual, but we are not. We do take certain things seriously." He held her gaze. "And mine is one of them."

She seemed to consider that, then she nodded slowly. "Very well. It seems that this crew is becoming more than just a group of spacefarers, and we have barely begun to know each other."

Phlox chuckled as Sebastian flapped his wings. "Honestly? I find that not surprising at all."


End file.
